Riverside County deputies kill ‘mentally disturbed’ man who allegedly wielded spiked bat

Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies fatally shot a “mentally disturbed” man Monday who allegedly wielded a spiked bat, officials said.

Jesus Antonio Rodriguez, 33, was shot after deputies went to a home in the 24000 block of Filaree Avenue in Moreno Valley about 12:30 p.m. regarding a “mentally disturbed subject,” the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Rodriguez’s mother told deputies her son was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was acting aggressively toward her while under the influence of an unknown substance, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Rodriguez allegedly ran to his bedroom when officers arrived and began yelling at them. He grabbed a baseball bat “with sharp metal spikes on the end,” at which point deputies fired a stun gun at him twice, “but it was ineffective,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

Rodriguez allegedly walked toward deputies, and an unknown number fired on him.

The 33-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Sheriff’s Office did not release the names of the involved officers but said they would be placed on administrative leave per policy.

The Riverside County district attorney’s office will lead the investigation into the shooting.